Celebrate the Christingle in Luton and help vulnerable children

The community is being invited to celebrate Christingle’s 50th anniversary in aid of The Children’s Society and help vulnerable children.

The second of two festive services will be held at St Christopher’s Church, Stockingstone Road, on Sunday, December 9, at 9.15am. The whole community is welcome to join the festivities and fun, while all money raised will go towards helping children dealing with a range of complex issues including violence, abuse and hardship.

Christingle is a celebration named after the Christingles given out at the event – these are oranges decorated with red ribbon, sweets or dried fruits on cocktail sticks and a candle, to highlight different parts of the Christian story. Christingle is an opportunity for people of all ages to come together, light a candle and enjoy the warmth and joy of this special festive occasion.

The Children’s Society brought the Christingle tradition to England 50 years ago and in that time the collections at these events have helped the charity to work with more than a million children and young people. With the help of the local people attending this year’s anniversary Christingle event the charity aims to raise even more crucial funds to help children who are facing Christmas alone.

Rev Anne, vicar of the Parish of Luton, St Anne with St Christopher said: “We are really looking forward to Christingle this year and we welcome everyone, even if they have never been before, to come along to enjoy the wonderful warmth and glow of the candle light and to help us raise funds for such a special cause.”

Matthew Reed, chief executive of The Children’s Society, said: “We are truly grateful to the Parish of Luton, St Anne with St Christopher for organising this special 50th anniversary Christingle service to help vulnerable children and young people.

“For thousands of children across the country, Christmas is just another time when they feel like no one cares about them at all. This year we want to help even more of the country’s most vulnerable children, and we hope more people than ever come along to celebrate our 50th anniversary of Christingle and give them the chance to enjoy their first Christmas.”